The Big Cat with 2 Terrible Engines: Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was one of the most advanced and capable fighter aircraft ever built. It had a very long lifespan, being in operation for almost three decades before finally being replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The Tomcat is most famous for its role as an escort coater for strike packages and its ability to launch missiles from its back called “wingtip tanks”. It was also known as the “splendid tomcat” because of its terrible engines that would often catch fire during takeoff, especially on humid days. This article takes a look at the technical details and history of this famous aircraft.

Grumman F-14 Tomcat - A Brief History

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-crew, variable-sweep wing aircraft that was manufactured by Grumman between 1972 and 2006. It was originally developed for the United States Navy to serve as both a long-range, all-weather fighter and a missile-armed interceptor aircraft. The F-14 was Grumman’s final aircraft, and the last of the line of American-built, twin-engined fighter jets. It remains the U.S. Navy’s longest-continuously serving aircraft. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy’s primary fighter interceptor from the 1970s to the 1990s. It was Grumman Aircraft’s last fighter aircraft. In the 1960s, the U.S. Navy developed a requirement for a new Mid-Range Fleet Air Defense (MRFAD) aircraft to replace the F-4 Phantom II and the F-5 Tiger II. The new aircraft would be expected to fly at least 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometers), escort the Navy’s new, long-range, Turboliner aircraft, and still have enough combat power to destroy enemy aircraft, including bombers. The Navy also wanted the new aircraft to operate from the deck of the new supercarriers. During this period, the Navy was also looking for a new fighter to replace the F-8 Crusader. Grumman was awarded the contract for the MRFAD in June 1962, and the contract for the air frame of the new long-range interceptor in December 1962. This aircraft would become the F-14.

The Wright TF-30 and Pratt & Whitney TF-pr F2 Engine

The TF30 had a long and somewhat controversial history with the US Navy’s F-14 fleet. The TF30 engine was a modified version of the engine developed for the F-111 Aardvark. The TF-30 was built by the Wright Aeronautical Division and Pratt & Whitney. Wright was acquired by Curtiss-Wright in 1955, becoming the Curtiss-Wright Air Engine Division, and was sold to General Electric Aviation in 1968, becoming GE Aviation. The TF30’s development was marked by continual problems and the destruction of numerous aircraft. The problems with the TF30 date back to the very beginning of the engine’s development. The F-111 engine program was a major re-engineering effort, as the Air Force had serious concerns about the ability of General Electric to design a reliable turbine engine. The TF30 was an improvement of the GE J-79, a Navy fighter engine with a long and successful record. The TF30 was developed with a far greater degree of re-engineering than anyone had expected. The problems encountered were largely the result of inadequate GE experience in designing high-bypass-ratio turbofans.

Tracking and engagement radars of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The F-14 has three different radars, each with a different purpose. The AN/AWG-9 Radar for the F-14 is a powerful, long-range, airborne fighter radar designed to track and destroy enemy aircraft at all altitudes, day or night, in all weather conditions. The AN/AWG-9 is one of the most powerful fighter radars ever built. It was designed for the F-14 Tomcat aircraft. The AN/AWG-9 is a coherent Doppler radar, which means it sends out a signal at a specific frequency. This frequency is then reflected back from the object the radar is pointed at. The frequency of the signal is then measured and compared to the original frequency. The difference between the two frequencies is called the Doppler shift. From this information, the radar can calculate the speed and direction of the object.

Weapons of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The F-14 Tomcat was designed to be a long-range interceptor armed with long-range missiles, so the priority was on the radar and engine. As a result, the F-14’s weapon bays were too small to carry the Navy’s standard air-to-air missile at the time, the AIM-54 Phoenix. The Tomcat was fitted with the smaller AIM-9 Sidewinder, which was originally designed for short-range air combat. The F-14 could carry a total of seven missiles. The Tomcat could also carry bombs, as well as external fuel tanks.

BONUS: A look at modern aircraft engines

Modern aircraft engines are very different from the engines used in past decades. Modern engines are more efficient and produce far less pollution, but are also very expensive. Although engines are very different, they all do the same job - they get an aircraft into the air and keep it there. First of all, they produce a huge amount of heat because they run very fast. This heat is usually put to good use by heating the cabin and providing anti-icing fluid for the wings. The combustion process which produces the heat is very complicated and requires many different components. It all starts with fuel. The fuel is stored in a tank and it is heated by the temperature of the engine so that it can turn into a gas and mix with the air that is sucked through the engine. Because fuel is a very dangerous substance, there is usually a way to keep it from igniting accidentally. This is usually a device called an igniter, which is used to light the fuel when the engine is started.

Conclusion

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was one of the most advanced and capable fighter aircraft ever built. It had a very long lifespan, being in operation for almost three decades before finally being replaced by the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The Tomcat is most famous for its role as an escort coater for strike packages and its ability to launch missiles from its back called “wingtip tanks”. It was also known as the “splENDid tomCat” because of its terrible engines that would often catch fire during takeoff, especially on humid days.